Mr Stewart said his client had been in this country for nine years and been driving for 35 years, mostly as a lorry driver.

He had a clean licence and no previous convictions, but since the incident had lost his job and was now living on small savings.

He said: “He had noticed speed restrictions signs but did not notice that high-sided vehicles were banned.

“He is fully aware of the severe impact this had.

Sheriff Maciver told Niemiec: “This was a wilful disregard for the road signs.

“The consequences were considerable. The bridge was closed for a long time and it is a major artery for road traffic in Scotland. It caused major diversions for many hundreds, if not thousands of vehicles, and inconvenience because of your stupidity”.

He said that the cost of repairs to the bridge must have amounted to a large amount of money.

BALMY BHOYS

RACE ROW

FINAL PICTURE

Last movements of missing Liam Colgan shown in new CCTV images from Hamburg

The Sheriff said the minimum disqualification required by the law was 12 months.

He said: “In your case it will be doubled to two years and you are ordered to sit and past the extended test to drive at the end of that period and also the HGV test.”

As for the financial penalty, Sheriff Maciver added: “The very least I can consider in your case is £1,000 and that is taking into account your financial situation and your plea of guilty at the first calling”.

He ordered that £300 be paid within 14 days from Niemiec’s savings with the remaining £700 at £50 a month to start from the end of April.